22
1 “Bazalwane labobaba, manje lalelani lizwe ukuzivikela kwami.”
2 Bathi bemuzwa ekhuluma kubo ngesiHebheru bathula zwi.
UPhawuli wasesithi, 3 “Mina ngingumJuda owazalelwa eThasasi eseSilisiya, kodwa ngakhulela kulonaleli idolobho. Ngafunda ngaphansi kukaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa okugcweleyo ngomlayo wabokhokho, lami ngakhuthalela uNkulunkulu njengani lamuhla. 4 Ngabahlukuluza abalandeli bale iNdlela baze bafa, ngibopha abesilisa labesifazane ngibaphosela entolongweni, 5 into engafakazwa ngumphristi omkhulu kanye lenkundla. Ngaze ngathola izincwadi kubo zisiya kubazalwane babo eDamaseko, ngaya khona ngifuna ukubaletha labobantu beyizibotshwa eJerusalema ukuthi bazojeziswa.
6 Kwathi sekungaba yimini enkulu sengisondela eDamaseko, masinyane kwaphazima ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini kwangizingelezela. 7 Ngawela phansi, ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi, ‘Sawuli! Sawuli! Ungihlukuluzelani na?’
8 Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Ungubani, Nkosi?’
Waphendula wathi, ‘NginguJesu waseNazaretha omhlukuluzayo.’ 9 Ababengiphelekezela bakubona ukukhanya, kodwa kabalizwanga ilizwi lalowo owayekhuluma lami.
10 Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Kumele ngenzeni Nkosi?’
INkosi yathi, ‘Phakama uye eDamaseko. Khonale uzatshelwa konke osumiselwe ukuthi ukwenze.’ 11 Abaphelekezeli bami bangihola ngesandla bangisa eDamaseko ngoba inkazimulo yokukhanya yayingenze ngaba yisiphofu.
12 Indoda eyayithiwa ngu-Ananiya yeza yazangibona. Yayingumlandeli omkhulu womlayo njalo ihlonitshwa kakhulu yiwo wonke amaJuda ayehlala khona. 13 Wema eceleni kwami wathi, ‘Mzalwane Sawuli, bona njalo!’ Ngalesosikhathi ngahle ngazuza amandla okumbona.
14 Wasesithi, ‘UNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu usekukhethile ukuthi uyazi intando yakhe lokuthi umbone oLungileyo lokuba uzwe amazwi aphuma emlonyeni wakhe. 15 Uzakuba ngufakazi wakhe ebantwini bonke ngalokho okubonileyo lokuzwileyo. 16 Pho usalindeni? Sukuma ubhaphathizwe, ugeze izono zakho, ubiza ibizo lakhe.’
17 Ngithe sengibuyile eJerusalema ngikhuleka ethempelini, ngafikelwa yisiyeziphupho, 18 ngabona iNkosi ikhuluma isithi kimi, ‘Phangisa! Suka masinyane eJerusalema ngoba kabayikubamukela ubufakazi bakho ngami.’
19 Ngaphendula ngathi, ‘Nkosi, lababantu bayakwazi ukuthi nganginquma lamasinagogu ngibabopha njalo ngibatshaya labo abakholwa kuwe. 20 Lalapho kuchithwa igazi lomfakazi wakho uStefane ngangimi khonapho ngivumelana labo njalo ngilinde izigqoko zalabo ababembulala.’
21 INkosi yasisithi kimi, ‘Hamba; ngizakuthumela kude kwabeZizwe.’ ”
UPhawuli UngumRoma
22 Abantu bamlalela uPhawuli sonke isikhathi, kodwa esetsho lokhu bavungama bamemeza bathi, “Kasuswe emhlabeni lo umuntu! Kamelanga aphile!”
23 Bathi sebeklabalala, behlubula amajazi abo, njalo bephosa uthuli emoyeni, 24 umlawuli wamabutho walaya ukuthi uPhawuli kangeniswe enkambeni yamabutho. Wayala ukuthi atshaywe njalo abuzisiswe ukuthi kungani abantu bemvukela kanje. 25 Bathi sebemlalisa phansi ukuthi bambhaxabule bembophile, uPhawuli wathi kumphathi wekhulu owayemi khonapho, “Kusemthethweni yini ukuthi utshaye umuntu ongumRoma ongetheswanga cala na?”
26 Umphathi wekhulu esekuzwile lokho wayabikela umlawuli wamabutho wathi, “Usuzathini manje? Indoda le ingumRoma.”
27 Umlawuli wamabutho waya kuPhawuli wambuza wathi, “Ake ungitshele, kanti ungumRoma na?”
Wathi, “Yebo, nginguye.”
28 Umlawuli wamabutho wasesithi, “Mina ngahlawula imali ukuthi ngithole ilungelo lokuba ngumRoma.”
UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Kodwa mina nginguye ngokuzalwa.”
29 Labo abasebelungele ukumbuzisisa bahle batshedela emuva masinyane. Umlawuli webutho ngokwakhe wethuka esenanzelela ukuthi wayebophe uPhawuli, umRoma, ngamaketane.
Phambi KweSanihedrini
30 Ngosuku olulandelayo, njengoba umlawuli wamabutho wayefuna ukwazi isibili ukuthi kungani uPhawuli wayebekwa icala ngamaJuda, wamkhulula walaya abaphristi abakhulu leSanihedrini yonke ukuthi bahlangane. Wasemletha uPhawuli wamisa phambi kwabo.